Nonlinear overlap method for time scaling

ABSTRACT

A nonlinear overlap method for time scaling to synthesize an S 1 [n] and an S 2 [n] into an S 3 [n] is disclosed. The S 1 [n] and the S 2 [n] having N 1  and N 2  signals respectively. The nonlinear overlap method includes the following steps: (a) delaying the S 2 [n] by a predetermined number and forming an S 5 [n], (b) establishing a correlogram of a cross-correlation function of the S 1 [n] and S 5 [n], and (c) setting S 3 [n] as a number of S 1 [n] when  0 &lt;=n&lt;; as a number formed by overlap-adding the S 1 [n] and an S 4 [n] in a weighting manner when (the predetermined number+the maximum index+the first threshold)&lt;=n&lt;(N 1 −a second threshold); and as a number of S 4  wherein the first and second thresholds are not equal to zero at the same time, and the S 4 [n] is formed by delaying the S 5 [n] by the maximum index.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a signal-synthesizing method, and more particularly, to a nonlinear overlap method for time scaling.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Due to the dramatic progress in electronic technologies, an AV player such as a Karaoke can provide more and more amazing functions, such as audio clean-up, dynamic repositioning of enhanced audio and music (DREAM), and time scaling. Time scaling (also called time stretching, time compression/expansion, or time correction) is a function to elongate or shorten an audio signal while keeping the pitch of the audio signal approximately unchanged. In short, time scaling only adjusts the tempo of an audio signal.

In general, an AV player performs time scaling with one of the three following methods: Phase Vocoder, Minimum Perceived Loss Time Expansion/Compression (MPEX), and Time Domain Harmonic Scaling (TDHS). Phase Vocoder transforms an audio signal into a complex Fourier representation signal with Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) and further transforms the complex Fourier representation signal back to a time scaled audio signal corresponding to the original audio signal with interpolation techniques and iSTFT (inverse STFT). MPEX is a method researched and developed by Prosoniq for simulating characteristics of human hearing, similar to an artificial neural network. MPEX records audio signals received for a predetermined period and tries to “learn” the audio signals, so as to either elongate or shorten the audio signals. TDHS is one of the most popular methods for time scaling. TDHS first establishes an autocorrelogram of a first audio signal, the autocorrelogram consisting of a plurality of magnitudes, and then delays the first audio signal by a maximum index corresponding to a maximum magnitude, a largest magnitude among all of the magnitudes of the autocorrelogram, to form a second audio signal, and lastly synchronizes and overlap-adds (SOLA) the first audio signal to the second audio signal to form a third audio signal longer than the first audio signal.

In a computer system, the autocorrelogram is usually established by a digital signal processing (DSP) chip designed to manage complex mathematic calculation such as convolution and fast Fourier transform (FFT). However, a process by the DSP chip to synthesize the third audio signal from the first and second audio signals is tedious and sometimes unnecessary.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a nonlinear overlap method for time scaling to efficiently synthesize a third audio signal from a first audio signal and a second audio signal without sacrificing the quality of the third audio signal dramatically.

According to the claimed invention, the nonlinear overlap method for time scaling to synthesize an S₃[n] signal from an S₁[n] signal and an S₂[n] signal, the S₁[n] signal having N₁ elements and the S₂[n] signal having N₂ elements, comprises:

-   -   (a)delaying the S₂[n] signal by a predetermined number of         elements and forming an S₅[n] signal;     -   (b)establishing a cross-correlogram of a cross-correlation         function of the S₁[n] signal and the S₅[n] signal, the         cross-correlogram including a plurality of magnitudes, each of         the magnitudes corresponding to an index; and     -   (c)setting the S₃[n] signal as values of the elements of:     -   S₁[n], where 0<=n<(the predetermined number+a first threshold         value+a maximum index), the maximum index corresponding to a         largest magnitude among all of the magnitudes of the cross         correlogram;     -   S₁[n] weights and adds to an S₄[n] signal that lags the S₅[n]         signal by the maximum index, where (the predetermined number+the         first threshold value+the maximum index)<=n<(N₁−a second         threshold value); and     -   S₄[n (the predetermined number+the maximum index)], where         (N₁−the second threshold value)<=n<=(N₂+predetermined number+the         maximum index);     -   wherein the first and second threshold values are not equal to         zero at the same time.

It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the method calculates values between the first threshold and the second threshold instead of all values of the overlapped signal from A to Z to save time for a DSP chip to synthesize the S₃[n] signal from the S₁[n] and S₂[n] signals and promote a computer where the DSP chip is installed in.

These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram demonstrating how the method synthesizes an S₃[n] signal from an S₁[n] signal and an S₂[n] signal according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram demonstrating how the method elongates an audio signal according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram demonstrating how the method shortens an audio signal according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

After establishing an autocorrelogram corresponding to a first audio signal and a second audio signal (or a signal lagging the first audio signal by a predetermined number), the autocorrelogram consisting of a plurality of magnitudes, a method 100 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention determines a maximum index corresponding to a maximum magnitude, a largest magnitude in the autocorrelogram, and calculates a third audio signal according to the first audio signal, the second audio signal, the maximum index, a first threshold and a second threshold. In detail, in order to save time for a digital signal processing (DSP) chip to synthesize the third audio signal from the first and second audio signals, the method 100, having determined the maximum index and delaying the second audio signal by the maximum index, does not weight and add all of an overlapped signal mixed with the first audio signal and the second audio signal as well to the second audio signal but weights and adds part (a region between the first threshold and the second threshold) of the overlapped signal to the second audio signal instead and forms the third audio signal.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a flow chart of a method 100 of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention. The method 100 comprises the following steps:

Step 102: Start;

-   -   (An S₃[n] signal is to be synthesized from an S₁[n] signal and         an S₂[n] signal. For simplicity, the S₁[n] signal and S₂[n]         signals are defined to contain N₁ and N₂ signals respectively.)

Step 104: Delaying the S₂[n] signal by a predetermined number Δ and forming an S₅[n] signal;

-   -   (In order to prevent run-in from occurring in a process a pickup         of an A/V player reads the S₃[n] signal, the method 100 delays         the S₂[n] signal by the predetermined number Δ then determines         an maximum index τ_(max) crucial for the process to synthesize         the S₃[n] signal from the S₁[n] signal and the S₂[n] signal. In         the preferred embodiment, the predetermined number Δ is equal to         [N/3].)

Step 106: Establishing an autocorrelogram of the S₁[n] and S₅[n] signals and delaying the S₅[n] signal to form an S₄[n] signal according to the maximum index τ_(max) corresponding to a maximum magnitude in the autocorrelogram;

-   -   (The autocorrelogram comprises a plurality of magnitudes of a         cross-correlation function, each of the magnitudes corresponding         to a distinct index.)

Step 108: Synthesizing the S₃[n] signal from the S₁ 8 n] signal and the S₄[n]signal;

-   -   (The S₃[n] signal is equal to

the S₁[n] signal, where 0<=n<(the predetermined number Δ+a first threshold value th₁+the maximum index τ_(max));

-   -   the S₁[n] signal weights and adds to the S₄[n] signal, where         (the predetermined number Δ+the first threshold value th₁+the         maximum index τ_(max))<=n<(N₁ a second threshold value th₂); and

the S₄[n] (the predetermined number Δ+the maximum index τ_(max))] signal, where (N₁−the second threshold value th₂)<=n <=(N₂+the predetermined number Δ+the maximum index τ_(max));

-   -   wherein the first threshold value th and second threshold value         th₂ are not equal to zero at the same time.)

Step 110: End.

Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a schematic diagram demonstrating how the method 100 synthesizes the S₃[n] signal from the S₁[n] and S₂[n] signals according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, a first part 401 shows the S₁[n] and S₂[n] signals in the step 102 of the method 100, a second part 402 shows the S₁[n] and S₅[n] signals calculated from the step 104 of the method 100, a third part 403 shows the maximum index τ_(max) the S₄[n] signal calculated from the step 106 of the method 100, a fourth part 404 and a fifth part 405 the S₃[n] signal synthesized from the S₁[n] and the S₄[n] signals in the step 108 of the method 100.

The S₃[n] signal shown in the fourth part 404 of FIG. 2 is equal to ${{\frac{\left( {N_{1} - {th}_{2} - n} \right)}{\left( {N_{1} - \left( {\Delta + \tau_{\max} + {th}_{1} + {th}_{2}} \right)} \right)}*{S_{1}\lbrack n\rbrack}} + {\frac{n - \left( {\Delta + {th}_{1} + \tau_{\max}} \right)}{\left( {N_{1} - \left( {\Delta + \tau_{\max} + {th}_{1} + {th}_{2}} \right)} \right)}*{S_{4}\left\lbrack {n - \left( {\Delta + \tau_{\max}} \right)} \right\rbrack}}},$ , where (the predetermined number Δ+the maximum index τ_(max)+the first threshold value th₁)<=n<(N₁ the second threshold value th₂).

The S₃[n] signal shown in the fourth part 405 of FIG. 2 is equal to ${{\frac{\left( {N_{1} - n} \right)}{\left( {N_{1} - \left( {\Delta + \tau_{\max}} \right)} \right)}*{S_{1}\lbrack n\rbrack}} + {\frac{n - \left( {\Delta + \tau_{\max}} \right)}{\left( {N_{1} - \left( {\Delta + \tau_{\max}} \right)} \right)}*{S_{4}\left\lbrack {n - \left( {\Delta + \tau_{\max}} \right)} \right\rbrack}}},$ , where (the predetermined number Δ+the maximum index τ_(max)+the first threshold value th₁)<=n<(N₁ the second value th₂).

If the S₁[n] signal is the same as the S₂[n] signal and both are derived from the S[n] at an identical region, as shown on FIG. 3, the method 100 in fact elongates the S₁[n]. On the contrary, if the S₁[n] signal and the S₂[n] signals are different from each other and are derived from the S[n] at two distinct regions respectively, as shown in FIG. 4, the method 100 in fact shortens the S₁[n], an S₆[n] (discarded) and the S₂[n] signals into the S₃[n] signal.

In contrast to the prior art, the present invention can provide a method to synthesize the S₃[n] signal from the S₁[n] and S₂[n] signals based on the maximum index corresponding to the maximum magnitude of the autocorrelogram and the first and second threshold values for confining the overlapped signal simultaneously mixed with the S₁[n] and the S₂[n] signals. Instead of calculating all values of the overlapped signal from A to Z, the method calculates values between the first threshold and the second threshold to save time for a DSP chip to synthesize the S₃[n] signal from the S₁[n] and S₂[n] signals and promote a computer where the DSP chip is installed in.

Following the detailed description of the present invention above, those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims. 

1. A nonlinear overlap method for time scaling to synthesize an S₃[n] signal from an S₁[n] signal and an S₂[n] signal, the S₁[n] signal having N₁ elements and the S₂[n] signal having N₂ elements, the method comprising: (a) delaying the S₂[n] signal by a predetermined number of elements and forming an S₅[n] signal; (b) establishing a cross-correlogram of a cross-correlation function of the S₁[n] signal and the S₅[n] signal, the cross-correlogram including a plurality of magnitudes, each of the magnitudes corresponding to an index; and (c) setting the S₃[n] signal as values of the elements of: S₁[n], where 0<=n<(the predetermined number+a first threshold value+a maximum index), the maximum index corresponding a largest magnitude among all of the magnitudes of the cross-corrolegram; S₁[n] weighted and added to an S₄[n] signal that lags the S₅[n] signal by the maximum index, where (the predetermined number+the first threshold value+the maximum index)<=n<(N₁ a second threshold value); and S₄[n−(the predetermined number+the maximum index)], where (N₁−the second threshold value)<=n<=(N₂+the predetermined number+the maximum index); wherein the first and second threshold values are not equal to zero at the same time.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the S₃[n] signal is equal to (N₁−the second threshold value−n)/(N₁−(the predetermined number+the maximum index+the first threshold value+the second threshold value))*S₁[n]+(n−(the predetermined number+the maximum index+the first threshold value))/(N₁−(the predetermined number+the maximum index+the first threshold value+the second threshold value))*S₄[n−(the predetermined number+the maximum index)] while (the predetermined number+the maximum index+the first threshold value)<=n<(N₁−the second threshold value).
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the S₃[n] signal is equal to (N₁−n)/(N₁−(the predetermined number+the maximum index))*S₁[n]+(n−(the predetermined number+the maximum index))/(N₁−(the predetermined number+the maximum index))*S₄[n−(the predetermined number+the maximum index)].
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the S₁[n] signal and the S₂[n] signal are sampled from an S₁(t) signal and an S₂(t) signal respectively.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the S₁(t) signal and the S₂(t) signal are both derived from an original signal.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the original signal is an audio signal.
 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the original signal is a video signal.
 8. The method of claim 4 wherein the S₁(t) signal and the S₂(t) signal are identical.
 9. The method of claim 4 wherein the S₁(t) signal and the S₂(t) signal are different from each other.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined number is equal to [N₁/3].
 11. A nonlinear overlap method for time scaling to synthesize an S₃[n] signal from an S₁[n] signal and an S₂[n] signal, the S₁[n] signal having N₁ elements and the S₂[n] signal having N₂ elements, the method comprising: (a) establishing a cross-correlogram of a cross-correlation function of the S₁[n] signal and the S₂[n] signal, the cross-correlogram including a plurality of magnitudes, each of the magnitudes corresponding to an index; and (b) setting the S₃[n] signal as values of the elements of: S₁[n], where 0<=n<(a first threshold value+a maximum index), the maximum index corresponding a largest magnitude among all of the magnitudes of the cross-corrolegram; S₁[n] weighted and added to an S₄[n] signal that lags the S₂[n] signal by the maximum index, where (the first threshold value+the maximum index)<=n<(N₁−a second threshold value); and S₄[n−the maximum index], where (N₁−the second threshold value)<=n<=(N₂+the maximum index); wherein the first and second threshold values are not equal to zero at the same time.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the S₃[n] signal is equal to (N₁−the second threshold value−n)/(N₁−(the maximum index+the first threshold value+the second threshold value))*S₁[n]+(n−(the maximum index+the first threshold vlaue))/(N₁−(the maximum index+the first threshold value+the second threshold value))*S₄[n−(the maximum index)] while (the maximum index+the first threshold value)<=n<(N−the second threshold value).
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the S₃[n] signal is equal to (N₁−n)/(N₁−the maximum index)*S₁[n]+(n−the maximum index)/(N−the maximum index)*S₄[n−the maximum index].
 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the S₁[n] signal and the S₂[n] signal are sampled from an S₁(t) signal and an S₂(t) signal respectively.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the S₁(t) signal and the S₂(t) signal are both derived from an original signal.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the original signal is an audio signal.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein the original signal is a video signal.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein the S₁(t) signal and the S₂(t) signal are identical.
 19. The method of claim 14 wherein the S₁(t) signal and the S₂(t) signal are different from each other. 